davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16
Patent Applied For.

A melancholy young married man has
made several Intellectual attempts to have
his landlord provide door-bell for his
house. First he sent to his landlord some
pathetic verses entitled, What is Home
without a Door-bell," which had no
effect whatever. Finally the melancholy
tenant hit OH the following plan, which
he has put into active operation: He has
arranged the floor of his front porch SO
that it acts something after the manner
of the platform of Fairbanks scale,
which, on receiving persons weight,
instantly connects with some diabolical
machinery concealed below. The whole
force of the apparatus beneath is then
communicated to an immense Indian
club, which Immediately drops from the
ceiling of the porch and bats the door.
By an ingenious contrivance person
whose weight is fifty pounds, standing on
the porch, causes one single rap; one
hundred pounds, two raps, and so forth,
being graduated so as to give the inmates
an idea of the size of their visitor. The
inventor is in great terror, however, lest
fat neighbOr, who lives opposite,
should take it into his head to call before
the thing is entirely perfect, as his
weight would cause about sixteen raps,
and, in all probabilities, would smash in
the door. The inventor also, with a sad
smile, explained to us how, by adjusting
a little wire, he could turn the edescending
club from its regular course, and COM
pletely bat the penurious landlord off
the porch when he called for the rent.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16
RAILWAY BUILDING IN 1877.

The Rail,Cay Age, of Chicago, pub
fishes statement of the extent of rail-
way building in the United States during
the last six months, which shows that,
up to July l, 7O5a miles of track had
been laid, as against $50 miles in the
same period in 1876, 400 in 1875, and
$50 in 1874. In every year noted the
track-laying of the first six months was
from one-third to one-ifth only of that
of the year. This points to a mileage
of 5000 miles or more of new track in
1877. The Rail,cay Age says: Avery
notable feature is theamount of narrow
gauge track, all three feet, except one
(the Philadelphia and Atlantic City,
three feet and one-half). Of the 7054
miles built, 2S3, or over forty per cent,
are of this class-a pretty good evidence
that the narrow-gauge theory has in
herent merit, and is destined to form a
very important portion of our railway
system, in spite of the opposition of
some who can see no GOOD In any gauge
but the standard. We believe in both,
in their appropriate spheres. The cost
of railway building was never so low as
now, and yet it costs great deal of
money to build railways of any kind in
any times. The economy of narrow
gauge roadshas generally been overrated,
and the extremely low figures antici-
pated by some have seldom been ad-
hered to. On the other hand, the enor-
nous rate of $4,000 to 100000 per
mile, at which our principal lines were
formerly built, has been greatly reduced
for the best roads of late years. 1t will,
perhaps, be fair to estimate the average
cost of the roads in the above list of both
gauges, including equipment, at $12, 900
per mile.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16
A Novel Lawsuit.

A village in New York State furnishes
very complicated matrimonial suit
which at present embarrasses the legal
fraternity of that district. Cyrus G..
Haskins, who was twice widower, fell
very much in love with Mrs. Brooks,
who was twice widow, and so far every
thing seems very appropriate. But
Mrs. Lizzie Spaulding, who was once a
widow, and could therefore not hope to
vie with Mrs. Brooks, became exceed
ingly enamored with c. C. Haskins, and
here begins the complication. However,
Mrs. Spaulding induced Mrs. Brooks to
sell all interest in c. c. for and in con-
sideration of a four hundred dollar
house and lot. Mrs. b. therefore re.
signed in favor of Mrs. s., and further
more induced Mr.. III. to transfer the
wealth of his affections to that lady
The marriage took place, and Mrs. Has
kins, who formerly was Mrs. Spaulding
was requested by Mrs. Brooks to turn
over the deed of the house and lot. But
Mrs. H. expressed her desire to see Mrs
B. get the house and lot if she could
And now lawsuit will decide who OWN
that house and lot, and it remains to b
seen whether the law of the land will
permit the bartered affections of Mrs
Brooks to be trampled upon.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16
RAILROAD CONSULTATION.

The Enquirer intimates that a move
ment is on foot among the railroad men
of Cincinnati for the calling of a meet
ing in that city of prominent railroad
officials of the country for the purpose
of concerted action and a general agree
ment upon the matter of rates and
general management. Letters have been
sent out to various officials throughout
the country urging such action.
The object of the proposed eonsulta-
ton is principally an advance in the
rates of freight. Probably no better oc-
casion was ever offered for concerted
action of this kind than at the present
moment. The late strike, growing as it
did out of reduction in wages to which
the management was forced, was the
legitimate and logical result of con-
tinued system of carrying freights at less
than cost, which had been in active op-
Grafton for months, and which to. the
disgrace of the railroad management, be
it said, is being again openly entered
upon as soon as the strike is ended.
More than half the roads in the country
have been bankrupted by this process,
and unless some action in the direction
indicated by this call for meeting is
taken, the remainder must follow. The
business public is generally aware of
this fact, and recognizing it in its ter
rible reality, are willing that an advance
shall take place. More than this, they
are even anxious for it and will cheer
fully acquiesce, and, more than that,
will themselves put their shoulders
to the wheel to help in the united move
ment. The railroad managers of the
country are, and have been, engaged in
a Kilkenny-cat warfare, and now the
business public proposes to take the
combatants by the tails, and if the fight
isn't stopped something will be apt tc
give Way.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16
The Mean Small Boy.

The mean small boy is different from
the mean big boy, because all of his
tricks are calculated to make other
hearts ache. He now takes silver
quarter and makes it fast to a string,
and to See him hanging about the Post
office one would set him down as boy
who never had an evil thought. He
selects victim, and drops the quarter
where it will do the most good. The
ring of the metal commands attention at
once, and the programme is carried out
as in a case yesterday. The victim was
short man, with very red neck, and
when he heard the quarter drop he
clapped his hand on his pocket and
looked around.
"Did you drop quarter?" mildly
asked the mean small boy, pointing to
one on the stone floor.
"Ahl must be hole in my pocket" "
replied the fat man as he pulled up the
knees of his pants and bent over to pick
it up.
He had his fingers on the money when
it slid away, and as he Strengthened up
he was greeted with fendish chuckles
from half dozen mean big and mean
small boys, one of whom inquired:
Which pocket has hole in it?'
The man didn't say. For some in
explicable reason he refused to enter
into any explanation, but hastened away.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16
Successful Cremation.

DIR. G. F. Winslow, a Massachusetts,
man, died at Salt Lake City on the 7th
of July, leaving directions that his body
should be cremated. Owing to the OPP
position of friends, this direction was
not carried out until the 31st ult. On
that day the corpse, which weighed one
hundred and twenty pounds, was put in
a furnace at $3.50 p. m. According to
an eye witness, who furnished an ac-
count of the process to the Chicago
Times, the furnace was constructed
with double fues, so that the flames
came directly in contact with an en-
velope above the body, a large current
of air being admitted. The first ap-
pearance, as .seen through the mica
apertures, was that of roasting, but in
twenty minutes nearly all the flesh was
consumed, and the bones had begun to
crumble. Half an hour later very lit
tie could be seen of the form of the
body. At 7:45 o'clock DR.. Hamilton
opened the door of the furnace, and
only one or two pieces of bones could
be seen, and they crumbled under the
weight of the ashes. At sos the pro-
cess was pronounced complete and sue
cessful by Drs. Hamilton and Smart.
The fires were drawn, and the ashes left
to cool short time before being re-
moved"
We were shown, says the Cincinnati
Gazette, by a gentleman to whom it, had
been sent in letter, about teaspoon
full of the ashes of one of the thigh
bones of the deceased. 1t was pure
white powder, looking very much like
cream of tartar. The cremation had
been thoroughly accomplished as far as
the osseous system was concerned. A
small jar would have been amply suffi-
cient to contain the entire remains, il
the whole are to be judged from one Of
| its parts.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16
A.SUICLDEY HOTEL.

The Suicides Hotel in Paris has been
torn down. 1t was situated in the Latin
Quarter and was a great place of resort
for students, but of late years it gath
cred around itself rather superstitious
reputation, which gave it the cheerful
name it bore. Ten years ago young
student blew out his brains in the room
which he was occupying, and Just one
year afterward another student COM
mitted suicide in the same room after
losing his money in a gambling-hOuse.
The proprietor of the hotel was alarmed
at the fate of these unhappy students
and the room was transformed into a
lumber-closet. A few months afterward
a waiter, who had been accused of theft,
crept into this lumber-room and hanged
himself. A strong-minded druggist took
possession of the premises and carried
on his business there, but being over
taken by serious trouble, he retired to
the fatal chamber and poisoned himself
with his own drugs. At last notice was
given that the place was about to be
pulled down to make room for the
Boulevard Saint Germain. An indem-
nifty of $4,000 was demanded, but re-
fused, and the jury having decided that
$i7, 800 was ample compensation, the
owner grew despondent and declared he
was a ruined man. A month ago he
asked permission to visit the old prem
ises before they were pulled down. His
request was granted and nothing more
was heard of him until the workmen
found him hanging by the neck in the
fatal room
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16
THE EUROPEAN WAR.


| THE last steamer from Hayti reports the
breaking out of another revolution there.
THE Journal DesDebats of AugustS an
'nounces that the Gar has Just recrossed the
Danube.
THE Gar has ordered levy of 1ss,6OO OF
the Landwehr. The entire Imperial Guard
has been ordered to the front.
IT is said that bitter discussions have
arisen between the Car and the Grand Duke
Nicholas, in regard to the conduct-of the
campaign.
THE Bosnian insurrection is at an end.
The insurgents are crossing into Dalmatia,
and are being interned on the islands i'll the
Adriatic.
THE Russians not only have not recovered
from their disastrous defeat at Plevna, but
have met with new reverses. A late dis
patch says they have lost $4,000 in another
engagement.
The Russian troops around Plevna have
been reinforced, and now number seventy
thousand. The Roumanian army, numbering
twenty-five thousand, now passing contin-
ually to Nikopolis, will form the extreme
right of this force.
SPECIAL dispatches report that the vii
lagc of Garnsee, near Marienwender, Prus-
sia, has been destroyed by fire, and that
eight hundred persons are rendered home
less, and that the town of Sundsvall, Sweden,
has been almost totally burned.
ADIsPATCH from Berlin says the Emperors
IF A nc tria or TcInr,
Wednesday, August 1, and that the con-
ference was very important. Emperor
Wilhelm urged strict neutrality on the part
of both Austria and Germany.
A ZARA special says that after seven hours
engagement August 4, the insurgents, under
Gen. Despotovich, were defeated with great
loss. Despotovich, with three hundred fol-
lowers, crossed the frontier into the Austrian
territory, where he was intercepted and dis
armed.
THE regulations concerning the forced
loan of 6CO, 100000 piastres, and the forma-
ton Of civil guard for Constantinople
have been published. All Ottoman subjects,
without distinction, must participate in the
loan. Men from twenty to forty years of
age will be enrolled in the civil guard.
APPALLING misery is reported among the
Bulgarian and Turkish fugitives from Eski
Saghra and the neighborhood. There are
from ten thousand to fifteen, thousand of
whom five hundred are wounded. Many are
dying on the road from exhaustion and star
walton. All are destitute Of every necessary
of life.
OsMAN Pasha telegraphs from Plevna that
eight battalions of Russian infantry and
eight squadrons of cavalry attacked Lovatz
Tuesday, August 7. The garrison at Lovatz,
having been reinforced by five battalions of
infantry and some cavalry from Plevna, re-
pulsed the Russians, who lost three hundred
killed and six hundred wounded.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16
WHOLE NUMBER 537.
Afternoon Men.

THERE'S proverb which says, ''What
can be done any time is never done" :"
and it applies especially to class who
have become slaves to the habit of pro-
crastinatioii-the habitual postponing of
everything that they are not compelled
by necessity to do Immediately. Now,
delays are not only damaging to present
prospects, but destructive of ultimate
success. A dilatory man is not to be de-
pended upon, the slightest pretext is
sufficient for him to disappoint you; if
an employee, the sooner he is discharged
the greater the advantage to the en-
ployer.
There are those who may properly be
called afternoon men; they are always
busy getting ready TO 60 to work. In
the morning they walk around, carefully
inspect their duties, and say, Plenty to
do to day; must go to work this after
noonp About three o'clock they sur
vey what they haven't done, and ex-
claim: "One thing or other has preven-
ted me from making any headway to-day.
I'll quit and begin bright and early to
morrow morningp One day with them
is simply the reflection of another; there
is nothing accomplished in whole life,
and their westering sun overtakes them
and finds no preparation for the wants
and inhrmities of age. There is moth
ing to look back upon but squandered
time.
One hours exercise in the morning
loosens the muscles of the limbs, sets the
blood dancing in the veins, and fits a
man physically and mentally for the
days activity, while one hours sloth
after breakfast produces a torpor from
which it is almost impossible to rally.
Young men should be careful not to
acquire the habit of procrastination-
an evil which distinguished poet has
correctly called the thief of time. !"
There is no detective who can arrest the
time which has fed and restore the lost
minutes. He who indulges in ''just a
few minutes longer" in bed will be late to
breakfast'and late to business, and will
soon find himself so habituated to laziness
that he will be late everywhere at the
station, at church, at an appointment, on
important as well as trivial occasions.
What is to be done should be done at
OnCe, WlIlOuI d HoLHeH9 ueidy. many
a man has lost his life by being one min
ute late. If you have half a days
work to do, do it in the morning, for
some unforeseen event may transpire,
and you be compelled to omit the per-
formance of that particular duty, and
then, if everdone, it may rob you of time
which should have been devoted to other
business. "Take time by the forelock." "
Afternoon men are unreliable men.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16

BRISTOL, R. l., dates back nearly two
centuries, and long before the Revolu-
tionary War her streets were laid out
by royal engineer, who did his work
SO well that no modern macadamizer
has been able to improve on it. 1t is
asserted that this is the only ancient
town in America, with the solitary ex-
ception of Philadelphia, where the
streets are all made con the square"
and where, for the whole distance of
each one, they run as straight as an
arrow.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16

gen. LIE Due, the Commissioner of
Agriculture, isorganizing society called
the Relief Union, at Washington, to
provide an efficient agency for concen-
trating and distributing aid to the poor
of the District, the leading principles of
the society being to afford relief to the
needy by furnishing work of some kind
at.bread-wages and to offer aid in selling
any and all products of industry to the
best advantage to the workmen.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16

A WRITER in the Philadelphia Bulletin,
in series of papers, explains g How to
Improve Old Public Schools" The best
way to improve these institutions Of
learning is to have lake in front and
base ball grounds in the rear, so that the
pupils may devote two-thirds of theil
time to boat-racing and base ball play
ing, and thus secure complete educa
ton, without spending three years and 9
lot of money at some one of our leading
American colleges.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16

In Colorado this years assessment re-
turns show 100000 head. of cattle,
valued at s5, 100000; and 100000 sheep
valued at s1,OOn,O0O. The number of
cattle shipped to Eastern markets the
past season was 1000 carloads, or over
$4,000 head, added to which were some
$4,000 dressed beeves. The wool clip of
the seven principal countries footed up
1856, 900 pounds, worth s471 ,250.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16

RETURNS from all the customs dis
tricts of all the exports and imports dur.
ing the fiscal year ending June 80, 1877,
show the total exports (specie values) tc
be $500, 1851; total imports, $541,,
S07, 7,549; excess of exports over imports,
s151, 1882. In the fiscal year ending
june 80, 1876, the excess of exports over
imports was butS79, ,643, ,4S1. In the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1877, the exports
of coin and bullion amounted to $780,.
169,2S7 and imports to S4O,774, ,414
while in the preceding year the exports
were $56,5O6, 1902 and the imports only
SIS. .681.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16
A CURIOUS custom obtained among the

A CURIOUS custom obtained among the
ancient Venetians. There is in Venice
an ancient palace, and on its panels are
perpetuated the portraits of the doges of
that city of the dead. In viewing the
array of faces graved in the majesty of
time and romance, the eye is startled as
it rests on one vacant space. He who
should have looked out from there in
that sacred list, was found guilty of
disgraceful deed, and the keen soul of
the Venetian bIotted his face, if not his
memory, from the records of their his
tory. His absence is in. his darkest
shame. He is even denied place in the
! memory of the people.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16

JEWELS have meanings of their own
Diamond, innocence; ruby, forgetful-
ness of and exemption from vexations
caused by friendship and love; emerald,
success in love; sapphire, repentance
amethyst, sincerity; garnet, constancy
topaz, fidelity; turquoise, prosperity
opal, hope; bloodstone, courage; agate,
health and long life; cornelian, con-
tented mind; sardonyx, conjugal felic-
ity; chrysolite, 'antidote against mad
ness. Malachite is not precious stone,
but its color (green) signifies hope.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16
EDITORIAL OLIO.

THE trainmen at Albany have been
chalking the back fences until they have
worked out the arithmetical calculation
that when Mr.. Vanderbilt's one hundred
thousand is divided every engineer will
get fourteen dollars, every conductor
eight dollars, and the brakemen and fire.
men only three dollars apiece.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16

A MARRIAGE was arranged between
two young people living some distance
apart, near Bengal, India, but who had
never seen one another. The bridegroom
duly arrived at the brides village, and
the ceremonies had actually begun, when
a report reached the bride and her
mother that the intended husband was
an incurable cripple. They both de-
clared that they would commit suicide
rather than complete the ceremony, and
as it was fact that the bride
groom was cripple, he was dismissed.
Butaccording to the prevailing supersti-
ton, eternal disgrace would have at
tended the bride if she had not been
married on that day when matters had
progressed so far. So, another bridegroom
had to be sought, and after searching
the highways and byways boy was cap.
tured and duly married in the place OF
the cripple. The latter being in the
same plight, had also to provide him.
self with a bride before the day closed
and thus there were two marriages in.
stead of one.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16

grain of the metal would cover nearly
four square feet. This is ten thousand
times thinner than ordinary writing
paper, and two million seven hundred
and ninety-eight thousand of such films
together would make only one inch in
tbictnasS
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16

Mr.. A. E. OUTERBRIDGE, JR., of the
Philadelphia Assay Office, has recently
given an example of the infinite divisi-
bility OF matter, by exhibiting before
the Franklin Institute some thin films
of gold obtained by electric deposition
upon copper and afterward detached.
These pieces of gold-leaf were transpar-
ent, and gave green color to trans
mitted light. Mr.. Outerbridge has thus
produced films of gold 50 thin that one
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16

WE have hitherto remarked on the
rapidly-growing use of opium in this
country, and now find it recorded that
during the first half of this year no.
357 pounds of opium valued at $551,-
199 were received at New York-nearly
$4,000 of which came during May and
June-imported in expectation of a
permanent rise in price, owing to the
war in Europe. But this expectation
was not realized, and many speculators
have been ruined. The new crop is
now being gathered in Smyrna and
vicinity, and is unusually large-proba-
bly, amounting to 5000 chests, or $780,
600 pounds. The annual consumption
in this country is about 9OO,O 900 pounds.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16

Mr.. WILLIAM EARLE LYTToN Bull
wER, the head of the Bulwer family,
and the elder brother of the late novelist,
has just died in England, age seventy
eight. He was the owner of large es-
tates in Norfolk, and was Magistrate
and Deputy Lieutenant for that county.
The Bulwer estates deyolved upon his
eldest son, Mr.. William Earle Gascoyne
Bulwer.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16

MAX ADELER: "Have the railroads
struck?' asked an excited man, burst
ing into the sanctum like Russian tor
pedo. "They have," we replied gently
and firmly, " lots of it; you'll find the
railroads truck over at the baggage
room" And then we smiled our sad,
sweet smile, and the celestial calm of
an angel benediction filled to overflow
ing the depths of our soul with tender
peace, like pound of corn-starch over
whelming the narrow restraints of a
quart cup.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16

THRIFT1NEss would seem to have
reached its limit in Paris. There the
custom of hiring meat is growing. Big
pieces of meat, ham, or poultry are or
dered from the shops, and good care is
taken that, in carving, the pieces are not
disfgured. What is not eaten is re-
turned to the shops and weighed, the
loss being charged to the housekeepers.
The returned joints are then retailed in
sI;aas
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16
On the War Path,

SALT LAKE, UTAH, August 1.-THE fol-
lowing were received this morning:
BIG HOLE, Mon, August Q.
To Governor Potts:
Had a hard fight with the Nez Perces, killing a
number and losing a number of officers and men.
We need doctor and everything. Send us such
relief as you can. -
JOHN GIBB0N,
Colonel Commanding.