davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-13
American Dez,er;ty.

Not long ago one Of the largest and
most successful shoe manufacturers
10 Europe stated that, though his
factory was stacked with the best
American machinery, and manned
by as good a class Of woTkmen es be
could get, be was uBder.sold at bis
own door by American makers. His
observations io American f1etories
supplied the explanation: the aver
age workman in our factories, he
said, could turn cut much more work
in a day than the most skillfg! in
Europe, oSiagto their superior deX-
terity and quickness The Swiss
watch manufacturer, Dabied, said
tina, The American workman could
turn cut day by day three or four
times the average produce Of the
European Of The same class
This seems like gross exsggerstioa,
bat it is moi q Of harmony With the
testimony Of many competent foreign
observers. A correspondent of The
British Ironm0nger tells a story
which furnishes an apt Illustration Of
this feature Of American workman
ship.
He SAYS hat during the Centen-
NAL yesr az English manufactures Of
stamped tinware saw some presses
in use in this country which pleased
him greatly. lie was particularly
struck with their rapidity of opera
ton, and ordered three. They were
made in due time, aud the maker,
hoping for other orders, took them
abroad himself. They we're set up,
and men experienced with presses
were given charge ofihem bus under
the most favorable conditions thew
could not be made to turn cut within
forty per cent. IS much work a. they
averaged daily 10 American works.
The operators were not quick enOugh
Here q man operated a machine
nnsided, and had q blank in position
every time The die descended. In
the English shop the operator had
two boys to help him, = to handle
the blanks, and the other to carry
away the stamped articles but even
With this assistance be could net
supply the blanks fast enough, and
forty on. Ct every hundred times the
die descended it bad nothing to do.
The same writer observes that this
is 40 uncommon experience with the
makers Of American machinery. Our
moss successful machines are often
failures abroad simply because they
are toe fast for the workmen of other
countries. Their operations are
gsuged By the average capacity Of
American artisans, and foreign opera
tives fail to keep up with them.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-13
One way 20 Get Married.

Judge Richardson doesn't pretend
to be q parson, and therefore isn't as
well up in the marriage ceremony as
the Shiny supporters CT a decaying
hierarchy are. The young couple
stood before him, the other evening.
and the Judge inquired, in a cross.
questioning tone, Of the groom:
"Are you a n~aturslizsd citizen q
the United Suatesg ?"
The groom took hold Of the waist
band of bis trousers, and tugged, say.
ing:
II voted for Tilden, judge
why James" family exclaimed
the blushing creature at his side.
It's fact, Emmer, protested James,
rather Indignantly. aud glaring a.
the Judge. His Honor ceughed and
demanded, severely:
DO you, sir, as q citizen of Nevada
and q lawful voter of Reno. solemnly
declare that you will forsake all other
evils aud deaye TO this oney ?
I've money TO BET on it, respond.
ed the groom, growing pale, bat plac.
ing his arm around the waist Of the
shrinking bride.
Then cried the Judge, bridging
his FIST down on his desk. God has
Joined you together, and - the
mar that puts you asunder! The fee
is just what you want to give, young
fellow
1t was pretty liberal, aud the court
set them uD and kissed the new wife
several times besides. Fee
Press.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-13

There is considerable variation 10
the different European States in the
age at which q legal marriage g be
contracted. 10 Austria the age Of
discretion for both sexes is fourteen
years. Ia Hungary each religious
sect makes its own regulatioGs-mar
riages being regarded as entirely
ecclesiastical affairs. Russians can
contract marriages at the age Of eigh-
teen years in cases Of males, and at
sixteen years 10 that of females. The
Italian law fixes the age al eighteen
and fifteen years respectively. In Tur-
KEY there is no general law. The
French and Belgian codes ALLOW mar.
risges al youog men at eighteen AID
girls at 6f,sen years; but powers Of
di-pensatIon in special cases are re
served. Ia Greece, Spain, and Port
ugal, parties Of fourteen and twelve
wears can contract a binding mar
riage bat in the latter country the
consent of the parents is necessary.
According 10 the amended paragraph
of the new German civil marriage
bill, the state Of wedloek cannot be
entered upon under twenty a0d six
teen years respectively, though the
existing laws Of Prussia and Saxony
permitted marriages at earlier periods.
There is much dissimilarity 10 the
Swiss laws, every canton having u
local regulation of its W Ia some
of them the consent OF the parents is
necessary up to the age Of twenty
five years. The influence Of climate
upon the temperament and c1nstitu-
ton is allowed in the southern nations
Rhere maturity is reached at q much
earlier period than among the north
prU nations.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-13
Bats for Insects.

Experiments have lately been made
in France with q view i. establishing
The 5es. bBits for. insect traps. A
onmbsr Of glass Gy-trsps, filed with
different liquids, sweet and sour,
we're placed under some fruit tree:
subject 20 the attacks If flies and
other insects. The traps were bsited
with honey, weak wine and water,
beer and water, vi0ega- and water,
pure beer, pure wine, crushed pears
and water and other liquids then the
victims were counted, af,er the traps
bad been exposed FIR three weeks,
aud The fvll1wiDg results: The trap
containing beer and wster stood at
the head, and contained $50 flies and
other insects; pure beer stood next,
with 53l the crushed pears, week
wiae and pure wine coming next,
pure honey being at the bottom of
Ihe list, with only seventeen victims
The fermentation of The beer and
water no doubt attracted the insects
by its oder, bur it would hardly be
safe % u that il would prove
attractive in all instances.
The tastes Of Insects may vary with
and loeali,ies, and experiment
alone eau decide what is best in a
given place.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-13
Caucasian Greetings.

The etiquette of salutat on in the
Caucasus is extremely elaborate aud
ceTemoDious. 1t does not by any
means satisfy all The requirements of
p-rfect courtesy to ask a mountaineer
bow be il, or how his health is, or
bow be does You must inquire mi
nutely into the details Of his domestic
economy, manifest a lively interest 10
The growth Of his crops and the vel
fare Of his sheep, and even express a
cordial hope that bis house is in q
good state Of repair, snd his horses
and cattle properly protected from
any possible inclemency OF the weath-
er. Furthermore, you must always
adapt your greeting TO time, place
and circum stances, aud be prepared
TO improvise q new, graceful and APP
propriate sslutstioa to meet any ex-
traordinary exigence. la the morn
ing q moantaiaeer greets another
with: May your morning be bright!'
to which the prompt rejoinder is
and may a sunny day never pass
you by = A guest be welcomes with:
May your coming bring jty!' sad
The guest replies: MAY q blessing
RESI- upon You"
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-13
Driving Nails by Machinery

ODe0 of the N st simple, and at The
same time most ingenious, imple.
menis on view at the Exhibition is
the invention of u vouag man in this
city, a Mr.. f. Falkaer iti- c.ilrd a
nail gun." aud is used fer mailing
down flooring b ards. We have seen
the implement 10 use, and, SO far as
we are able to Judge, it is quicker 10
its work, and ensures greater %cleanli-
ness than hand mailing could do
The appsarsrce is not unlike a gun
in shape AMI il ab u the same
length Iii, kep. iu p sition with
the foot aud knee, and the rail TO be
placed (point DOWN in aperture al
the top If the IL slides
down 10 The bottom, aBd then the
operator draw up a rod. aod by one
downward stroke Gf this the nail il
clearly driven iuto the boards be-
meath. A prac iced baud, hy this
simple c~cDtrivsnce. could do the work
OF bali a dozen men. We believe
that Mr.. Faikner is nos improving
upen bis Invention, ard is making a
mall gna' which will be self acting.
Wa have ~ d,ubt shat when the i'm
plemeDt comes 10 be generally known
il will be brought into general u-e-
New Zealand Times.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-13

She came to the station q little
late, and had 10 make o rush for the
train. When she reached her seal
her hat fell of. She got it on, bat it
toppled over to q side, and, when
she tried 20 s~iraighten it up, her hair
came tumbling down, She lost her
ticket twice before the conductor
reached her, and would have lost it
again if be hadn't taken it away from
her. She reached up to put o bundle
10 the rack above her head, and burst
her collar button of her buster, and
stuck her fingers on four pins in her
dress before she could find one that
she dared take out to repair the dam
age. Then just as she thought she
bad got comfortably settled her little
hand ~vslise, packed to bursting with
enough things to load a Saratoga
trunk to the muzzle, exploded, and
she nearly worked herself into frag-
menis getting it together again.
Then by the time che get the valise
shut up her hat tumbled eff again,
and by the time she got the bat
Strengthened back into its place, her
hair iumbled down again. and as
soon as she got her hair twisted up.
and harpooned it witt a couple of
hair pins, the valise went of, aud
when che got off at New Prague, she
tucked the gaspiDg valise under her
arm, and tried to corral her topping
hat and wandering hair with one
hand, and as she wen. huttering and
struggling into the depot, one couldn't
help thinking that it would be safer
and more convenient 70 rul Der in
sections and flag her against every
thing. | have seen this woman on
several other trains, and she has
never been able to keep herself to-
gether. There seems to he more
average humanity about her heater
sister. She isn't so aggravating. bus
she keeps you 10 a state CT a~gonizing
suspense, for you eve know where
she is going to give way next.-Bur-
HDGf0p H1tckege.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-13
a Lost Sofe Replaced.

An Indiana nan had a S. national
bank-note chewed up by his dog. He
sent two fragments Of the note to the
treasurer Of the United States and
wanted a good one in return. Treas.
urer Gilfllan refused to return q good
note, there being nothing to show
that the other fragments might be
sent ia fer another new bill. The
Indiana man then sent the two frsg-
ments back again, pinned to an aft
davit be had made before a notary
public, as follows: Personally ap
peared before me, this day., who,
being duly SWORD, makes oath that
the remainder of the bank-bill here
uoto attached, was totally destroyed
by his dog; that be detected him in
the &C. and rescued these remnants,
taking them from the dogs mouth,
and that the remainder Of this bill
was cbewed and swallowed By the
aforesaid dog, and thereby totally
destroyed Subscribed and sworn
before me-" &c. This being sufficient
evidence of the dogs voracity aad
the Indiana mans veracity, the treas.
urer sent on a new note.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-13

N"
the fash and tempest on the green
sward A resisiless, heavy weight,
steaming and running through the
frame, is the consciousness / chiefly
remember, with the idea that ! had
been chosen as part Of the lightning.
rod for q huge and incompatible dis
charge. The experience was, more
over, a single moment ia wonderland
All customs and institutions were
abolished for q time. In such a pss'
sage as | was allowed to stand 10 fer
a moment, death becomes nothing
and lite is sll, but q waksful night
aud a weeks headache was The re-
auI,
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-13

A Virginia City, Nevada reporter
was talking with an old miner q few
days ago who implicitly believes tha'
no death evtr occurred 10 the mires
without o warning of some kind.
"You see." be said, death neveI
took place 10 the mines without 9
warning. VOC reporters write up &C
cidents and tell how something fell
quick and killed somebody. Now
this amt SO. There's always some
warning. When | see my lantern
begin to burn low down and blue,
know there is danger ahead. If il
keeps on for q few days and then be
gins to waver and flicker, Ill watch
it close to see where it points. You
may set me down for q fool, but what
I'm telling you is the gospel truth
When the fame leans over las if il
was being worked By a bIow-pipe)
end points to q man, death has mark.
ed bio.
Some years ago when Bill Hen
bricks was killed in the Savage, tbs
fame Of nay candle pointed right a,
him tor over an hour, aud when BE-
moved the flame would move just ss
if be was load stone and the fame q
mariners needle. | knew be was
gone and told him 10 be careful about
the blast. Well, be got out with that
all right and got on the cage. As be
went up, the candle kept actin
strangely. and at times the fame
would stretch out long and thin 20.
wards Bill. At length it gave a
sudden flicker and Bill reeled to one
side and was caught in the timbers.
heard bis dreadful cry as be dissp-
peared down the shaft, and when he
was bounding from side to side,
dashing out his brains and scattering
his flesh down to the bottom, my
light went out.
81 never lit that candle again. 1t
hangs up IN my cabin and always
will. There's more il a candle flame
than people thiaks. I'd rather see q
cooked revolver pointed at me than q
candle flame; q revolver sometimes
misses, but a candle flame is sure 10
kill when it darts toward a man.
II must start for my shaft now.
Don't give my name to anybody.
There is some who would laugh al
me.n
The mar here picked up his blank
ct and walked away. There are
plenty of miners on tie Comstock
who have such superstitions. Some
nail up a horse shoe over the en-.
trance Of a diff. ''for luck" Oilers
believe that good and bad luck comes
in streaks, jus rs quartz and por-
phary. For three years past there
have been no accidents ia the North
Consolidated Virginia uatil a few
days ago when Champion had bis
thigh crushed The miner says that
a "bad streak" rad been struck and
more accidents might be expected
Yesiefd day TWO more men were iplur-
ed by falling thirty feet into the
dump. This was caused by the
breaking of a two-inch plank that
seemed able TO bear a dozen men.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-13
The .swhaf-is-ss.''

One Of our prominent lawyers went
home the other day to dinner and
found that bis little boy had had bis
head clipped, in accordance with the
prevailing style. Affecting not to no
tice It, be began to speak CT the won
derful curiosity on exbibitionig Wash.
ing,on City. 10 the shape Of n living
creature with q form something ike
that of a human being lis head was
round as a pumpkin, its ears stgck
out Ike clam shells on q cocosnut,
its nose projected like c figure four
from what seemed TO be its face, il
walked upright, and its head was GOV,
cred with a growth of bristles, about
one-sixteenth of an inch in length,
and for want CT a better name, the
creature had beer called tbe Whist
~isit." And, placing his hand on bis
boys head, the father said why,
here it is COW. Here's the very thing
I've been talking about"
The boy replied, as be but,ered a
piece of biscuit They've got q
blamed sight worse looking thing
right here in Peoria"
"What kind Of q thing is It :" said
the lawyer.
at is the father of the WHAT'S it,
retorted the lad.
The subjectthen dropped -Pcorio
Transcript.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-13
a Family Anoar.

Daring the late rain storm 10 North
western Pennsylvania, Mr.. George
Randall, whose house was upon the
bank of the creek at North Spring
field, Erie county, suffered the loss
Of all his earthly possessions, which,
though not large, yet ike the "@id-
ows mite" constituted all his living,
and narrowly aud almost miraculous
ly escaped with bis life. Mr.. Ran
dall's family consists Of q wife and
child about two years Of age. At
about 3 o'clock Mr.. Randall 9es
awakened BY the rushing OF the vat
ers, aud on arising and drawing Ga a
pair OF overalls lying near, be CON-
menced picking up things from the
floor, and placing them on the table,
to protect them from the water which
had commenced to enter the house.
Surprising the worst was past be
made no attempt TO escape. Ia an
instant the tidal wave caused by the
breaking Of the dams above, struck
his dwelling, aud it ioated away and
was dashed with such violence against
the railroad enbankment that il was
crashed like a paper house and the
inmates hurled into the seething food
The current caused by the waters
rushing through the aqueduct, which
was now nearly or quite full, drew
in the shattered fragments Of the
house. The struggling family were
swept through the aqaeduc. a dis
lance Of some fifteen rods, and on
emerging at the lower side The has
band deserted the wife holding the
child clasped in her erms floating
near him. Fortunately al that 10
slant q log came sweeping by, aud
~seizing it with one hand and bis wife
win the other, they drifted dowa
with the current until they struck >
cluster of willow trees and effected a
landing where they remained till
rescued the next morning. The
wreck occurred about halfpast three,
and the rescue about halfpast five in
the morning. At early dawn it was
discovered that the house was gone
and search was Immediately institu-
led for the inmates. They were soon
discovered aud DO time was .ost in
providing means for the rescue. The
telegraph Operator, fastening a rope
about bis body. n end of which was
held by the spectators on the shore,
plunged into the food and reached
in safety the trees where Mr.. Randall
and family were. The rope was then
fastened at both ends, and Mr.. Ran
dali, tying his child upon bis back,
started for the shore, which be reach
ed with his precious freight ia safety
Returning 10 a similar manner be
brought his wife TO the shore, and
thus the whole family were rescued,
bat nearly in as destitute ciTeum-
stances as when they made their ad-
vent gpon this mundane sphere.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-13

This Is but another Instance Of the
eGncatire effect of machinery ; and
every year, with the increasing per
lection Of mechanical devices, the
need of Intelligence. precision, and
rapid manipulation is increased. The
intellectual development of skilled
workers cannot bat be advanced ia
consequence. Already the mechanic
needs, and many of our mechanics
possess, a higher grade of culture
aud vastly more knowledge thar
suiiced for the learned professions SO
called s. few years ago-ScieRfttic
american.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-13

James Murray, who has spent the
last three years al Gilbertsville \.
Y, sailed last Saturday by the Bri-
fannie for Cape Colony, Africa, where
be purposes to reside on an ostrich
tarm of 300 acres awaiting him
there. TIE occupation Of ostrich
rearing Is not aew IL The family.
James Murray, Sr., the tlJber, having
fer years been successfully engaged
at the business. He IS 10 pJssessi on
o. a large tract # land heel Cspe
Town, 1892 acres OF which are en-
closed 10y a wall five re: high aid
four feet thick az a rUnftr these mag
aiicent birds. u which be GOV has
1000. There is, besides, a second
park of | 600 acres for the vonug
oslricaes. There ar. 400 sc.es plan
ted to turnips under irrigation for the
young birds. Also, 800 acres of
alfalfa, or l@ucern, which is used for
the breeding birds. As a precaution
against drought, a dam Of Sid stone
has been constructed, 1900 feet long,
$50 feet thick and $50 feet high.
Tho senior Murray has bsd extensive
experience in ostrich calpure, snd Is
now reap;ng the reward Of years of
patient and costly experiment The
great d~iiicalty has been ia incubating
the eggs Of the ostrich. The artif.
cial i~ncubators were tried at al ex
pense CT $500 They were found
utterly useless. The old tale of sand
patching proved false. The fact at
length reached vas that, in The re-
%p,oduetiol and perpetuation of their
species, Providence has made the os.
triehes themselves masters q the
situation By carefully watching the
birds aud separating them from tbe
flock, ct pairing time, difficulty in
procuring young birds was overcome.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-13
No Encouragement.

A brisk fight between two boys
was Interrupted by a citizeo, who,
after releasing one of them, made tie
other sit down on a selt barrel and b.
talked To.
Now, them he began. sit is a
terrible lhiag FIR u by like you to be
conducting in this manner"
"I'd a licked him if you had ~
come upi' walled the boy, as be
carefully wiped bis scratched nose.
Suppose you had, do you want to
be considered a dog? Why don'l
you try and be a good boy, and get
along peacefully with avery body 2
Suppose you had rolled IF the wharf
and been drowned 2"
"S'pose'n hadn't, too! It's the
good boys who get drowned
What
cts 50, aud | Kin prove il! I'll
bet a dollar agin a cent that
more Sunday school boys have
been drowned this year than Bad
un's !"
The man reflected, aud did not dis
pute the assertion.
And more run over by the cara"
continued the boy.
No answer again.
"And more Of 'em get sick aad die,
and I'll bet I've got more money and
have more fun and have more pea
nuts than any good boy in Philly."
But The good are rewarded" dui-
city observed the man.
so are the bad" replied the boy.
an bet | make fifty cents before
dark
"But the good are respected
$50 am |. | kin go to Laughiin
& McManes and borrow three dol
lars without any security, I'll bet ten
to Eve you can't Come, now, put
up the lucre."
my boy" sadly observed the man
"You must think Of the future. Dom
you want to be looked up TO and re.
spec.ed when you are a man 2"
That's too far ahead" was I'd,
lonesome reply IF anJbody thinks
| am going To b. called a clothes pin
and a wheel barrow and a h~air-brnst
by all the boys and not go for 'em
just for The suSe 4 - sipg lie al
angel when | get 10 a-s man, they
is ken ID i3e nous', aud 20,
daspu't bet they amt"
A Id lie 6sstl't.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-13

To b. pure 10 mind and heart.
To be modest in dsmeanor.
To b. helpful at home.
To be followers OF Christ.
And then there are less vital things
that they should learn; as
To sew neetly
To d. simple C okirg.
To buy with &C n ny
To dress with taste.
To lead aloud well.
There are many other useful and
o%rasmeutal mplistmeLts within
the reach Of most girls, but those
We have given are indispenss-
Monthly.